Nancy Avner Pettry, WV

Nancy Avner Pettry (13 Mar 1823-8 Mar 1905) was born on Indian Ridge at Pipestem, in now Summers County, WV, and died at Dry Creek in the Marsh Fork District of Coal River, Raleigh County, WV. Late in life, Nancy married James Cuisenberry "Berry" Anderson (1819-9 July 1899), the son of James and Elizabeth A. Anderson, on 21 July 1866 in Mercer County, WV. Berry's first wife was Sarah Elizabeth Carner. It was described in the "History of Summers County", written by Judge James H. Miller, that "The first doctor in Pipestem District and Jumping Branch was Dr. Greenleaf, who practiced throughout the region of those districts and in Mercer and Raleigh". Nancy moved from the area now known as Pettry in Mercer County to Edwight in Raleigh County in April 1867 and lived with her uncle Jacob Pettry for a few years. Then she homesteaded and lived at the head of Sturgeon Fork of Dry Creek for a few years. As part of a trade, the Sturgeon Fork property was used to obtain land on the hillside across the creek from the present day Dry Creek Post Office. She lived here until her death and is buried on a knoll on the property with her husband James. Nancy had five illegitimate children before marrying Berry Anderson, all born at now Pettry in Mercer County, WV. They were Ardilia (father Green Gore), Sarah Ann (father ? White), Sylvester Plunkett (father Massena C. Barker), Ellen Mae (father Dr. Robert Greenleaf), and Benjamin F. (father ? Lamb).